Part 34

The sword of the captured French Admiral Blanquet was also sent, by Captain Capel, from Admiral Nelson to the city of London, with the following letter, which he had several days previously written for the lord-mayor.

"Vanguard, Mouth of the Nile, 8th August 1798.

"MY LORD,

"Having the honour of being a freeman of the city of London, I take the liberty of sending to your lordship the sword of the commanding French admiral, Monsieur Blanquet, who survived after the battle of the 1st, off the Nile; and request that the city of London will honour me by the acceptance of it, as a remembrance that Britannia still rules the waves: which, that she may for ever do, is the fervent prayer of your lordship's most obedient servant,

"Horatio Nelson."

"Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London."

On the 13th, the Alcmene, Emerald, and Bonne Citoyenne frigates, at length, joined the squadron; and, on the 17th, the Seahorse.

Admiral Nelson now arranged every thing necessary with Captain Samuel Hood, who was to remain with his own ship, the Zealous; the Swiftsure, Captain Hallowell; the Goliah, Captain Foley; the Alcmene, Captain Hope; the Seahorse, Captain Edward James Foote; and the Emerald, Captain Waller: for the purpose of cruising off Alexandria, or continuing at anchor, as he might judge most proper, more effectually to prevent any supplies being thrown into that port for the French fleet; and, also, to intercept an expected French convoy with provisions, as well as to prevent, if possible, all communication between the French army at Rosetta, and their fleet at Alexandria. This business being settled, he sailed, on the 18th, from Alexandria; and having, on that day, received a letter from the Honourable William Windham, the British minister at the court of Florence, he wrote the following answer, dated on board the Vanguard, 21st August 1798, which presents some additional information respecting the glorious victory off the Nile, and it's beneficial effects.

"My Dear Sir,

"I received, three days ago, your letter of June 20th, and I beg leave to thank you for it. I send you a paper, which will inform you of the extent of our victory. My health, from my wound, is become so indifferent, that I think of going down the Mediterranean as soon as I arrive at Naples; unless I should find any thing very extraordinary to detain me, when my health is of no consequence. The command, in my absence, will devolve on Captain Troubridge; than whom, the king has not a better sea-officer. Sir James Saumarez is on his way to Gibraltar, with six of our prizes: the others I burnt, that the Mediterranean might not be left without ships; for each prize takes a ship of the line to man her, and attend to her wants. This you will believe, when I tell you that only two masts are standing, out of nine sail of the line. L'Orient certainly struck her colours, and did not fire a shot, for a quarter of an hour before, unfortunately for us, she took fire: but, though we suffer, our country is equally benefitted. She had on board nearly six hundred thousand pounds sterling: so says the adjutant-general of the fleet, who was saved out of her; and, although he does not say she struck her colours, yet he allows that all resistance on her part was in vain. Admiral Brueys was killed early in the battle; and, from the commencement of the fight, declared all was lost. They were moored in a strong position, in a line of battle, with gun-boats, bomb-vessels, frigates, and a gun and mortar battery on an island in their van; but, my band of friends was irresistible. The French army is in possession of Alexandria, Aboukir, Rosetta, Damietta, and Cairo; and Bonaparte writes, that he is sending a detachment to take possession of Suez and Fayume. By the intercepted letters from the army, for we took the vessel with Bonaparte's courier, they are grievously disappointed, the country between their posts being completely hostile. I have little doubt but that army will be destroyed, by plague, pestilence, and famine, and battle and murder; which, that it may soon be, God grant. The Turks will soon send an army into Syria; and as, for the present, we block them up by sea, they must soon experience great distress. I hope to find, on my arrival at Naples, that the emperor, and many other powers, are at war with the French; for, till they are reduced, there can be no peace in this world."

This letter appears to have remained unfinished, for want, probably, of an opportunity of sending it away, about three weeks. It then received the following conclusion.

"September 7th. I feel myself so much recovered, that it is probable I shall not go home at present. The Turks have seized all French ships in the Levant, in consequence of their taking a Turkish sixty-gun ship at Alexandria, and seizing all Turkish property. This was done on the 14th of August. I shall always receive pleasure in hearing from you, both as a public and private man; and believe me, dear Sir, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,

"Horatio Nelson."

In the mean time, Admiral Nelson had written the following letter to Francis J. Jackson, Esq. his Britannic majesty's minister to the Ottoman Porte, dated on board the Vanguard, off the Isle of Rhodes, 27th August 1798.

"Sir,

"I have the honour to acquaint you, that I attacked the French fleet off the Mouth of the Nile, on the 1st inst. the result of which you will see by the inclosed paper; and that, on the 14th, the French took possession of the Turkish admiral's ship at Alexandria, hauled down her colours, and hoisted French colours, and seized on all the Turkish property on shore. The French are in possession of Alexandria, Aboukir, Rosetta, and Damietta, on the coast, and of Grand Cairo: but all communication is cut off between their army and their transports at Alexandria, by sea, by an English squadron of three ships of the line and four frigates, which I have left cruising there; and, by land, by the Bedouins. So that, if the Grand Signior will but send a few ships of the line, and some bombs, he may destroy all their transports in Alexandria; and an army of ten thousand men may retake Alexandria immediately, as the French have only four thousand men in it, and the whole French army are very sickly.

"I have been informed, that the French have put to death two hundred Turks at Alexandria, for rejoicing at our victory; and that General Bonaparte only wants a communication opened by sea, to march into Syria, that the transports with stores, &c. for the army may go along shore with him.

"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

"Horatio Nelson."

The inclosed papers, mentioned in this and the preceding letter, were lists of the forces of the English and French fleets at the battle off the Nile shewing which were taken, burnt, &c. and copies of this last letter were sent to the Earl of St. Vincent and Earl Spencer.

On the 8th of September, at sea, he addressed a letter to the Marquis De Niza, commander of the Portuguese squadron; regretting that they had not joined him prior to the 1st of August, when not a single French ship could have escaped: but, as he observes, that being without remedy, it is necessary to look forward to the next important service for the common cause; which, in his opinion, is that of preventing the French from getting any supplies of stores, by water, from Alexandria. He concludes with observing, that the Grand Signior will, he hopes, not only send an army into Syria; but also send ships of war, with bomb-vessels, gallies, &c. in order to destroy all the vessels in Alexandria: and concludes with inviting his excellency to be a partaker in these joyful events.

In a very few days, however, he learned that the Marquis De Niza had returned from Alexandria; and he now, with equal address, sent him to Malta.

On the 14th, by La Mutine, he dispatched letters to the Earl of St. Vincent, in which he expresses his fear that it will be thought wrong, not to have returned any of the "numerous frigates, brigs, cutters, &c. which had been sent to Egypt "It was," says he, "only on the 13th of August, that the Alcmene, Emerald, and Bonne Citoyenne, joined me. On the 17th, the Seahorse joined; and, till September 7, I neither saw nor heard of any. The Earl of St. Vincent cutter then joined me, forty leagues from Messina; where I was informed that the Portuguese squadron, with the Lion and Terpsichore, had passed the Pharos, the 28th of August, on their way to Egypt. I therefore sent the cutter with a letter to the Marquis De Niza, and to Captain Hood." He then proceeds to state, that the Thalia had just brought him accounts from Captain Hood, which he sends; and considers the exertions of the officers as great, and highly to be approved. He thinks that the two men who saved the dispatches ought to have a pecuniary reward. "You will see," he adds, "by my second letter to the Marquis De Niza, that I have requested him to go off Malta, which may be the means of driving the French out of that island." After expressing his confidence that, with a little exertion, the French army in Egypt will fall a prey to plague, pestilence, famine, and Mamelukes, he concludes with praying that the earl will give him credit for his earnest endeavours to do what is right.

This day, the hero of the Nile received a letter from General Sir John Acton, transmitting the congratulations of the King and Queen of Naples; to which he returned the following most elegant epistolary acknowledgment, by the Culloden.

"Vanguard, at Sea, 15th September 1798.

"SIR,

I was yesterday honoured with your excellency's very handsome and flattering letter of the 9th, conveying to me their Sicilian Majesties congratulations on the victory obtained by my royal master's fleet over the enemy. I have to request, that your excellency will have the goodness to assure their majesties, that I am penetrated with their condescension in noticing this battle; which, I most fervently pray, may add security to their majesties throne, and peace and happiness to all mankind. The hand of God was visibly pressed upon the French; and, I hope, there is not a person in the British fleet, who does not attribute this great victory to the blessing of the Almighty on our exertions in a just cause. With every sentiment of respect, believe, me, your excellency's most obedient,

"Horatio Nelson." "Sir John Acton, Bart."